Marine shock absorber



Dec. 28, 1943. 'w WALLER, JR

MARINE SHOCK ABSORBER Filed June 1 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 28, 1943.w. WALLER, JR

. MARINE SHOCK ABSORBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1942 PatentedDec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARINE SHOCK ABSORBER WilliamWaller, Jr., Chicago, Ill. H Application June 1, 1942, Serial No.@455878 Claims.

The present invention relates to marine crafts and more particularly tothe problem of traveling effectively and safely in a wavy or choppy seaat high velocity.

Fast travel of marine craft is not only desirable but a practicalnecessity. To do so safely for the craft and its occupants on a sea withwaves has been limited. That is by reason of the fact that when the prowof the craft, at high speed,

hits the wave the shock is not only instantaneous but is like whenstriking against a solid wall. Since water is incompressible thestriking of the prow of a boat or similar marine craft moving at highspeed against a wave of solid water, usually called green water, acts tomomentarily stop the craft thus destroying its momentum with attendantdamage of the craft and injury to its occupants. If the water be mixedwith air the latter acts as a yieldable cushion and the progress of thecraft is not appreciably nor perceptibly retarded and shocked.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a novel means forreducing and substantially eliminating shock and retardation of the fastprogress of the craft, as by having an auxiliary prow segment or bafflein spaced relation to the prow proper of the craft and capable ofabsorbing shock by offering a discontinuous surface of contact with thewave and instantly breaking up the water with air which cushions theprow proper of the craft. The baffle is de-. signed with openings forthe passage therethrough of the green water and for mixing of the waterwith air forwardly of the prow proper of the craft; to cushion it and toflow or slip along the prow and rearwardly thereof. The baffle also maybe flexible or resiliently yieldable to further aid the absorption ofthe shock.

Other objects, advantages, capabilities and features are comprehended bythe invention as will later appear and as are inherently possessed bythe invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a craft embodying an illustrative formof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front end view thereof, on an enlarged scale, with a partbroken away to show internal structure;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the same end, showing adifferent shaped prow;

Fig. '7 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken in aplane represented by line 8-8 in Fig. 5 of the drawings;

Fig. 9 is a front end view in elevation of the invention applied to ahull of different shape;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the same;

Fig. llisa view in perspective of the forward portion of a craft towhich is applied a further alternative form of the invention; and,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken ina plane represented by line ill-l2 in Fig. 11 of the drawings.

Referring more in detail to the drawings the embodiments chosen toillustrate the invention are shown (see Figs. 1-4) applied to the prowor how portion l of a marine craft in the form of a bafiie or shield 2constituting an auxiliary prow segment, whichmay be of sheet material,such as metal, provided with numerous openings 3 or the like, andsuitable spacing means 4 secured to the prow l and connected to thebaille or shield 2, in any suitable manner by any suitable rneans.Thespacing means may be in the form of elongated members 4 spaced fromeach other, as shown, and extending from the stem 5 rearwardly anddownwardly and about the surface of the prow. The portions of the baffle2 between these spacing members A may be and are preferably resilient soas to have a certain degree of'give or: flexing when hitting the greenEven the spacing members 4" yieldable for water of a wave. also may besorn'ewhatresiliently the same purpose; 1

Referring to Fig. 4 the openings 3 may open into throats or nozzles 6extending rearwardly to direct the flow of water passing through theopenings 3 into the space between the bailie 2 and the prow l, as shownby the arrows in Fig. 4. As the streams jet through these nozzles 6 theywill mix with air and set up an aerated mass in the space or passagebetween the bafile 2 and the prow l and also between the spacers 4, thisaerated mass being resilient or yieldable so as to absorb the shock andthus not retard the progress of the craft but allow it to proceedsmoothly. The aerated mass will pass out at the rear ends of thepassageways between the spacers 4.

In Figs. 5 to 10, inclusive, are shown baiiles I and 8, similar to thatshown in Figs. 1-4, but applied to different shaped prows 9 and 9a(Figs.

5-7 and Figs. 9-10). These bafiles are likewise spaced from the prows,as by spacing elements H), and also have numerous openings II for thepassage of water into the space between the prow and the baflie. Theseopenings H (see Fig. 8) may be formed by striking a tongue portion 12from the bafile 1 to form a guide for the inflow of the water as shownby the arrow.

In Figs. 11 and 12 is shown an alternative form of bafile comprising aseries of resilient elements l3, which'may be in the form of rope, asWire rope, extending through openings or eyes [4 of spacing elements l5suitably secured to the wall portion of the prow I8, as shown inparticular in Fig. 12. The linear spaces between these ropes l3 provideopenings I! through which the Water passesinto the space betweentheropes I3 as an aggregate and the wall of the prow L8 in the same wayas in the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive. In use when thecraft: is moving at high speed in waves the baflle on hitting greenwater will cut into the water and allow water to'pass through theopenings in the bafile and to churn or mix with air so that the aeratedmass cushions the prow and also slides rearwardly in the space betweenthe bafile and the prow, thus absorbing shock and not retarding theprogress. of the craft. The baflle will also have a certain amount ofmechanical give due to its resilient characteristic.

While I have herein described and on the drawings shown a fewillustrative embodiments of the invention it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited thereto but comprehends otherconstructions, details, arrangements of parts, and features withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim: l. A shock absorber formarine craft comprising a bafiie wall located spacedly relative to thelower portion of the prow of the craft for hitting waves as the craftproceeds, means connected to said bafile and to said prow formaintaining said bafiie in said spaced relation, said baffle havingopenings throughout the extent of the baffle for the passage of waterand for producing a cushion of air and water adjacent the prow, portionsof said baifie between said means for maintaining the bafile in spacedrelation being resiliently yieldable to absorb part of the shock ofcontact with the waves.

2. A shock absorber for marine craft. comprising a bailie wall, locatedspacedly relative to the lower portion of the Draw of the craft forhitting waves as the craft proceeds, means con nected to said heme andto said prow for main taining said bailie in said spaced relation, saidbafile having openings throughout the extent of the baffle for thepassage of water and for producing a cushion of air and water adjacentthe prow, said means for maintaining the baflle in spaced relationcomprising spacing members which are spaced from each other and whichextend rearwardly and about the contour of the prow.

3. A shock absorber for marine craft comprising, a baflle wall locatedspacedly relative to the lower portion of the prow of the craft forhitting waves as thecra-ft proceeds, means con nected to said bafile andto said prow for maintaining said bafile in said spaced relation, saidbafiie having openings throughout the extent of the bafiie for thepassage of water and for producing a cushion of air and water adjacentthe prow, said bafile having at said openings inwardly and rearwardlyextending guiding portions for guiding the water into the space be--tween the prow and the bafiie.

4-. A shock absorber for marine craft compris ing a baflie wall locatedspacedly relative to the lower portion of the prow of the craft forhitting waves as the craft proceeds, means connected to said battle andto said prow for maintaining said bafile in said spaced relation, saidbafile having openings throughout the extent of the battle for thepassage of water and for pro ducing a cushion of air and water adjacentthe prow, said means for maintaining the bailie in spaced relationcomprising spacing members which are spaced from each other and whichextend rearwardly and about the contour of the prow, said spacingmembers comprising series of elements secured to the prow and connectedto the baflie.

5. A shock absorber for marine craft comprising a baiile wall locatedspacedly relative to the lower portion of the prow of the craft forhitting waves as the craft proceeds, means connected to said bafile andto said prow for maintaining said bafile in said spaced relation, saidbaflle having openings throughout the extent of the bafile for thepassage of water and for producing a cushion of air and water adjacentthe brow, said means for maintaining the bafile in spaced relationcomprising spacing members which are spaced from each other and whichextend rearwardly and about the contour of the prow, said spacingmembers comprising series of elements secured to the prow and connectedto the battle, said elements being provided at their outer ends withapertures, and said bafile comprising ropelike pieces extending throughsaid apertured outer end portions of said elements.

WILLIAM WALLER, .m.

